Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,092 per month in Santo Domingo vs $715 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,808 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,196 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,524 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,677 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Santo Domingo costs about 53% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 18% lower, Jarabacoa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 DOP 502

$8.26 DOP 479

4.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 DOP 2,933

$49.96 DOP 2,899

1.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 DOP 427

$7.28 DOP 423

1.10%

Cappuccino

$2.61 DOP 151

$2.74 DOP 159

-4.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 DOP 60.0

$1.04 DOP 60.1

-0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.08

$0.79 DOP 46.03

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 DOP 150

$2.62 DOP 152

-1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 DOP 287

$5.05 DOP 293

-1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 76.8

$1.34 DOP 77.6

-1.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 DOP 99.6

$1.73 DOP 101

-0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 DOP 86.7

$1.55 DOP 90.1

-3.87%

Eggs

$2.22 DOP 129

$2.27 DOP 132

-2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 DOP 409

$7.30 DOP 423

-3.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 DOP 359

$6.26 DOP 363

-1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 DOP 634

$11.02 DOP 639

-0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 DOP 186

$3.16 DOP 183

1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.2

$0.92 DOP 53.6

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 DOP 176

$2.91 DOP 169

4.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 DOP 117

$1.95 DOP 113

3.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 DOP 147

$2.48 DOP 144

2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 DOP 138

$2.30 DOP 134

3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 DOP 62.8

$1.09 DOP 63.5

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 DOP 52.6

$0.97 DOP 56.4

-6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 DOP 339

$5.71 DOP 331

2.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 DOP 622

$10.64 DOP 617

0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 DOP 160

$2.65 DOP 154

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 DOP 185

$3.25 DOP 188

-1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 35.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,916

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 194

$3.30 DOP 192

1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 DOP 128

$2.18 DOP 127

0.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 DOP 340

$5.86 DOP 340

-0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 74.8

$1.33 DOP 76.9

-3.01%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

0.70%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

-0.68%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$75.6 DOP 4,387

$75.7 DOP 4,390

-0.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.81 DOP 1,498

$25.47 DOP 1,478

1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.72 DOP 2,131

$36.33 DOP 2,108

1.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.61 DOP 2,066

$20.72 DOP 1,202

71.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.32 DOP 831

Cinema Ticket

$6.98 DOP 405

$6.64 DOP 385

5.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$272 DOP 15.8K

0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,012 DOP 464.9K

$7,974 DOP 462.7K

0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 DOP 3,493

$59.5 DOP 3,450

1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 DOP 3,025

$50.7 DOP 2,944

2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 DOP 5,587

$98.0 DOP 5,686

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,699

$114 DOP 6,627

1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 DOP 33.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 DOP 16.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 DOP 69.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 DOP 38.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,163 DOP 125.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,184 DOP 68.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 DOP 34.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Santo Domingo: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Santo Domingo versus $50.0 in Jarabacoa. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Santo Domingo vs $244 in Jarabacoa – so Santo Domingo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Santo Domingo vs Jarabacoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santo Domingo is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,637 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,072 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,092 in Santo Domingo and $715 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Santo Domingo and $272 in Jarabacoa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $715, than in Santo Domingo at $1,092. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jarabacoa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santo Domingo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.